The benefits of sauna make you want to do it more often

Saunas can be a great way to relieve stress, but the benefits go beyond that. Here are some of the benefits of saunas that will make you want to do them more often.

 

 

From boosting cardiovascular health, speeding up muscle recovery to giving you radiant skin, regular sauna sessions can do more for your body and mind than you might expect.

Improve cardiovascular health

It's basically cardio without having to leave the gym. Everyone knows that exercise is good for the heart, but few people realize that sitting in a sauna triggers many of the same physical responses as aerobic activity. Of course, it's not a substitute for exercise.

Sauna users experience increases in heart rate, breathing, sweating, and cardiac output – the amount of blood your heart pumps in a minute. This change in blood flow can help support the health and flexibility of blood vessels.

 

People who sauna four to seven times a week had a 48% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease than those who sauna only once a week.

Enhance muscle recovery

Science proves that regular sauna sessions can actually kick-start muscle recovery and reduce soreness.

Heat helps reduce soreness and promotes neuromuscular recovery by increasing growth hormone and heat shock proteins. Studies show that athletes who use saunas after intense workouts experience better muscle function than those who skip them.

Additionally, research links sauna time after exercise with better endurance and an increase in VO2 max, a measure of how much oxygen your body can absorb and use during exercise.

 

Significantly reduced stress

Regular sauna sessions can help reduce stress, reduce anxiety, and even improve mild depression. This is because the high temperatures stimulate feel-good chemicals like endorphins and serotonin, which help you feel happier, more relaxed, and sleep better by controlling your stress hormones and your body's circadian rhythm.

Research shows that people who regularly use saunas have higher levels of happiness and energy, as well as better overall mental health. Regular sauna use – about four to seven times a week – has also been linked to a significantly reduced risk of psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia or major depressive disorder, thanks to greater brain resilience and healthier neural activity.

Radiant

Many people walk out of the sauna with visibly radiant skin, thanks to increased blood circulation, which delivers nutrients and oxygen more efficiently.

Dr. Nicole Neuschler, board-certified dermatologist at Core Dermatology, says steaming is like ' Drano for clogged pores .' By stimulating sweating and dilating blood vessels, it helps flush out debris, leaving skin clear and less congested.

'Your liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, and natural sweating processes are responsible for the majority of your detoxification,' says Dr. Reed. 'However, saunas can support these bodily processes by boosting circulation, stimulating sweating, and improving lymphatic flow.'

 

While regular steaming can boost skin radiance, those with oily or acne-prone skin should be proactive about avoiding irritation. For best results, Dr. Collins recommends keeping your steaming sessions to 10 to 20 minutes, three times a week, without makeup, washing your face afterward, and finishing with moisturizer.

"Barrier" protects healthier skin

Regular sauna use helps strengthen the skin barrier. One controlled study found that regular sauna use reduced transepidermal water loss, training the skin to retain water and respond better to stress, including heat.

Additionally, relaxation not only supports the skin's protective barrier and repair, it can help treat acne and reduce inflammation.